Collection Themes

The Civil War

Civil War Art

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Harper's Weekly

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People buy original Harper's Weekly prints for different reasons.  For some, they see the print, think its neat, and make an impulse buy.  For others, they are buying the print as a gift for someone special.  In other cases, individuals are interested in going a little deeper, and perhaps putting together a collection of prints.  While there is nothing wrong with simply buying a single print, collecting prints can be a fascinating and rewarding hobby.  This section is devoted to presenting information to those considering starting a collection. If you would like to become a collector, the most important first step is to determine a "theme" for your collection.  Harper's Weekly ran for many many decades, and there are literally thousands of prints to chose from.  The beginning collector should avoid the temptation of simply acquiring a "hodgepodge" of prints.

There are a variety of legitimate theme around which to build a collection.  The theme should be specific enough to have meaning.  A theme of "old prints" would not be meaningful, or rewarding.  At the same time, the theme should be broad enough to allow you some chance to find material.  A theme of "Richmond Virginia Clock Tower Prints" might be a little too specific.  Personally, the theme of the bulk of my collection is "Civil War Prints".  This is actually a rather broad theme, and it is completely reasonable to have a more focused theme.  I know individuals who have put together collections around Abraham Lincoln, Civil War Generals, and Civil War Battles.  Others have collections even more specific, all centered around a specific battle.  One individual put together a very nice collection around the theme of "The Battle of Mobile Bay".  In many cases, people choose to select a theme of local interest, perhaps around a battle which occurred in the area.  The topical areas in our "online gallery" would actually make excellent themes which you could consider.

Building a collection around a theme will be a rewarding exercise, and will result in a collection which will have historical significance.